From the Pastor – 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

September 18, 2017

The theme throughout today’s readings from Holy Scripture has to do with forgiveness. We must always appreciate that forgiveness is a two-way street. We need to seek forgiveness as all of us are likely to do. However, forgiveness is also something we need to grant to others.

Some scholars consider Matthew’s Chapter 18, from where our Gospel Reading comes today, as perhaps among His most personal teachings to His disciples and others as spiritual leaders. There is no question that the Lord is in the process of preparing His followers for the time when they (we) must continue His Kingdom without His physical presence. He is trying to build up the sense of fellowship and cohesion among His flock.

Thus, He focuses on how to build up cooperation and unity in those who work to build His Kingdom. He makes it clear that for us to accomplish that requires forgiveness and reconciliation. The lesson for us is quite basic: we need to know, appreciate and understand the grace of Jesus and respond by learning how to forgive our sisters and brothers (all sisters and brothers in our Christian and Catholic fellowship).

Christ always forgives us if we come to Him with a humble and repentant heart, and He expects the same from us. We need to forgive others just as we are forgiven. As Jesus warns us in today’s Gospel: “So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives your brother (and sister) from your heart.”

Pastoral Ponderings

Returning to the survey: Any comments regarding Liturgy and Worship at St. Mark? “The direction I sense we are being taken is pre-Vatican II. We now have “masters of ceremonies” turning pages as our priests are attempting to lift themselves above the faithful. Entirely too much pomp and little visible humility on the altar.”

In my experience, when someone makes a comment like this, they simply have no idea what the liturgical documents of the Church actually say. There are no liturgical practices at the parish that are not in conformity with both Sacrosanctam Concilium (The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy of Vatican II), Redemptionis Sacramentum (Instruction on Certain Matters to be Done or Avoided during the Eucharist), the General Instruction on the Roman Missal , and the Liturgical Norms of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte. Observing the norms laid out in these documents is the serious obligation of the pastor and any priest who assists him in the pastoral care of the parish.

With that being said, there is certainly some latitude in how the celebrations are ordered and what options are exercised. First and foremost, it needs to be said that the celebration of the Most Holy Eucharist is about offering proper worship to Almighty God. It is neither about the people in the pew nor the priest on the altar. The whole assembly is to be directed towards Christ who is the perfect offering to the Father. As previously noted several weeks ago, we offer various liturgical “styles” musically at the various Masses of the weekend to provide options for the faithful. This is an intentional decision by the pastoral staff.

In terms of the use of older servers as “Masters of Ceremonies” is a great assistance to the celebrant. When he can focus solely on offering the prayers to God it makes the Mass more prayerful and allows the flow of the liturgy to occur more seamlessly. It has nothing to do with pomp. It has everything to do with practicality. Moreover, during the course of 25 years of priesthood, I have seen many of those who served in this role eventually enter the seminary and serve the Church as ordained priests. While this is certainly not a requisite of the position, why would anyone object to a liturgical function that encourages vocations? I am very proud of the young men who take such care to learn the various elements of the liturgy and offer their service freely to God and the parish. I would hope that everyone would offer the same level of appreciation to those who serve thusly.

By and large the responses to the survey were very helpful and appreciated. As was the case in the response above, there are some that seem to simply want to grind a personal axe rather than to assume the best of intentions and offer the benefit of the doubt. If you have a question about something, then ask one of the priests. We are all more than happy to respond to questions offered in charity and genuine interest.

From the Pastor

From the Pastor - 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

By John Putnam • November 14, 2025
As we approach the end of the liturgical year, our readings offer a sober reminder that this life is not our aim and that God’s justice will triumph in the end. Now is the time to get our priorities in order, putting God above all else as his faithful stewards. Our Lord brings home the urgency of right priorities in our Gospel passage from Luke, reminding the people around him who were looking at the temple nearby, “All that you see here—the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.” Our Lord reminds us that all in this world is passing. We must keep our focus on eternity. Yet before the eternal bliss of heaven, we should expect to be tried and tested. “Before all this happens, however, they will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name.” Sounds scary. But if you are living a stewardship way of life, there is nothing to fear. You have a plan in place. All you need to do is stick with it. Put our Lord first in your time, with your talents, and through your use of treasure. This way of life is not easy. But Jesus promises it will lead to eternal salvation and the joy of union with Him. “You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance, you will secure your lives.” Onward, Christian stewards, the struggle is worth the joy that awaits! Pastoral Pondering On November 4th the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith released Mater Populi Fidelis, a 20-page doctrinal note which was approved by the Holy Father. The Document addresses longstanding requests for clarification on Marian titles related to Mary’s cooperation in salvation. It emphasizes Mary’s unique role as Mother of believers while safeguarding Christ’s sole mediatorship, aiming to foster authentic devotion, Catholic fidelity, and ecumenical dialogue. The Note responds to decades of proposals, including petitions for new Marian dogmas, often amplified via social media and private revelations. It draws on Scripture, Tradition (e.g., St. Augustine), and prior papal reflections, including Joseph Ratzinger's 1996 and 2002 critiques of certain titles as unclear or prone to misunderstanding. The document appreciates popular piety but cautions against expressions that could confuse the faithful or obscure Christ's centrality. It promotes "participated mediation"—Mary's supportive role in union with Christ—without equating her to the Redeemer. The document goes on to underscore “approved titles/expressions” and “discouraged titles/expressions.” Those that are encouraged include: Mother of God (Theotokos), Mother of Believers, Spiritual Mother, Mother of the Faithful People of God, and Mediatrix (in a general sense of intercession). It notes that these underscore Mary's maternal bond with Christ and the Church, directing devotion to the Son. They are biblically rooted (e.g., John 19:26-27) and foster hope, tenderness, and unity. Those titles discouraged are Co-redemptrix and Mediatrix of All Graces. It notes that these risk eclipsing Christ's unique mediation (1 Tim 2:5) and redemption; not explicitly in Scripture or early Tradition; potential for confusion or imbalance in faith, especially ecumenically. I know in my own discussions over the years; it is very easy (especially for my non-Catholic relatives) to get confused over certain Marian titles. They can certainly be explained, but as the DDF points out, those titles that require greater explanation for common understanding should be discouraged. To be sure, you can find both titles used in various Catholic resources, and the document certainly does not forbid their use. Nonetheless, it approaches the topic in a balanced and pastorally sensitive way that recognizes the importance of Marian devotion and piety while, at the same time, reminding us all of the importance supporting and encouraging doctrinal harmony.

From the Pastor - Dedication of Lateran Basilica

By John Putnam • November 7, 2025
Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome — the cathedral church of the Pope and the mother church of all Christendom. While this feast honors a sacred building, it also reminds us of a deeper truth: we, the People of God, are the living temple of His presence. In the first reading, Ezekiel describes life-giving water flowing from the temple, bringing renewal wherever it goes. This image calls us to be channels of God’s grace in the world. St. Paul tells us, “You are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in you” (1 Cor 3:16). As stewards, we are entrusted with the sacred task of caring for this temple — our own hearts and our parish community — so that God’s presence may shine through us. In the Gospel, Jesus cleanses the temple, declaring that His body is the true dwelling place of God. Through our baptism, we sare in this mystery and are called to reflect God’s holiness in all we do. Today’s feast is an invitation to renew our commitment to the Church — to participate actively in her mission, to serve generously, and to let our lives be signs of God’s living presence in the world. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering Last year, I noted that the norm for the distribution of Communion in the United States is standing and on the hand. I brought it up because parishioners were questioning why Bishop Martin, when he visited the parish, did not utilize the altar rails. This is not the norm universally, but each conference of bishops is asked to adopt that posture which is to be normative. The USCCB website states the following: The General Instruction asks each country's Conference of Bishops to determine the posture to be used for the reception of Communion and the act of reverence to be made by each person as he or she receives Communion. In the United States, the body of Bishops has determined that "[t]he norm... is that Holy Communion is to be received standing, unless an individual member of the faithful wishes to receive Communion while kneeling" and that a bow is the act of reverence made by those receiving (no. 160). The right to receive Communion on the tongue or on the hand and whether to receive kneeling or standing belongs to the individual. The normative practice, however, is clear and is set by the body of bishops. https://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/the-mass/order-of-mass/liturgy-of-the-eucharist/the-reception-of-holy-communion-at-mass When we began offering the Traditional Latin Mass a number of years ago, we added the altar rails to meet the requirements of that particular celebration. The use of the rails gradually became the norm at the parish because more and more people started to use them. Many believe it promotes reverence and devotion. At the same time, obedience is a virtue, and I think it is important to be united with other parishes in the Diocese and return to the normative practice as noted above, which we will implement here at St. Mark on the First Sunday of Advent, November 30. ( Correction: The previous sentence was updated to clarify that this change applies only at St. Mark .) As noted above, each individual retains the right to kneel to receive the Eucharist. I also want to be clear that love and devotion for the Eucharist can be expressed in any number of ways within the life of the Church. No one can argue that the Diocese of Charlotte does not have a deep love for the Eucharist. It is the center of our lives, and it is certainly the center of our parish here at St. Mark. From our love for the Eucharist flows our commitment to effective catechesis, evangelization, and our tremendous outreach to the poor. Those things remain unchanged. Any time changes are made, especially in the liturgy, it touches people deeply. My hope is that after almost 11 years as your pastor, you know how much I love and care for you and for the liturgy entrusted to us. I simply believe that it is better that we are faithful to the liturgical norms given to us by legitimate Church authority as outlined in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. Personal preferences, including my own, which go beyond these norms should not encroach on the liturgical celebration. As our Holy Father reminds in his pontifical motto, In Illo Uno Unum (In the One (Christ) we are one), in the liturgy and in our Catholic life.